


Jasper, The Hero?

by KeithTheWriter



Series: Steven Universe: Spinel’s Change [4]
Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: F/F, Gem Fusion, I’m not great at writing action TBH, Minor Violence, One Shot, Post-Canon, References to Canon, as usual, back at it again with the rarepairs
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-31
Updated: 2020-03-31
Packaged: 2021-02-28 22:09:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,335
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23414353
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KeithTheWriter/pseuds/KeithTheWriter
Summary: Shortly after unofficially joining the Crystal Gems, Jasper assists Pearl in tracking down a rogue Gem, who could possibly cause untold amounts of damage to Beach City if left alone.
Relationships: Jasper/Pearl (Steven Universe)
Series: Steven Universe: Spinel’s Change [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1654090
Kudos: 8





	Jasper, The Hero?

**Author's Note:**

> Listen, before y’all crucify me for this, let me make my case.
> 
> First of all, I’m not ditching the Pearl/Amethyst stuff, I just HAD to make something involving Jasper/Pearl because I’m all for butch/femme dynamics.
> 
> Secondly, this particular fic might be slightly lower quality than my usual output, but I’ve been ghosting AO3 for some time and I felt like I should post at least something until I can make something with a bit more polish. Plus this technically might not fit the greater narrative of the series I placed it in, but I’m using that series for ALL of my SU works
> 
> (Also, thank the beautiful SU fandom on Tumblr for giving me the idea of a “Fire Opal”, it’s not my idea and I’m definitely not taking the credit for it).

“I must admit, Jasper, you’ve changed quite nicely so far..”

Being a loyal servant to (emotionally unstable) royalty, Pearl dknew how and when to keep things a secret. Despite how much she trusted and cared for the other Crystal Gems, she had been keeping a small, possibly insignificant thing from them in case they might not be the biggest fan of...Pearl had been secretly dating Jasper, the behemoth soldier Gem, for some time now. 

Originally, they couldn’t stand each other, with Jasper being a respected soldier of the people Pearl swore that she would defeat, but when Jasper asked (in the most awkward way possible) if they could move on from their past squabbling, the servant was more than willing to get to know the lumbering brute on a more personal level.

At first, the two had secret rendezvous in the forest, where Jasper lived once she was healed by the Diamonds. This was changed after Steven left for greener pastures, and Jasper was unceremoniously given his spot in the Temple, as Pearl greatly disliked having to deal with the forest wildlife when she wanted to meet with Jasper. While the other Gems had reservations about her company, Pearl vehemently and repeatedly vouched for the Quartz.

Every day in the temple was a new experience for Jasper, living alongside her girlfriend (a human term she didn’t care much for) Pearl. From helping Amethyst in her Little Homeschool classes, to learning how to perform basic chores around the house (including having to withstand Greg’s odd choices in music).

Throughout this, nothing seemed to be amiss in Beach City, seemingly due to all of the hard work Steven put in trying to set things right. Near the end of his journey, Steven had healed and saved many Gems from their corruption, but there were some possible “problems” still left in the wild. Despite how many Gems they changed, there would almost certainly be a few who slipped through the cracks, still corrupted or twisted from the Diamond’s rampant use of corrupting energy. 

While this idea was undoubtedly true, the Crystal Gems felt like they could finally focus on their futures. Unfortunately, it seemed one of those loose Gems found their way into Beach City, as Pearl heard through the Homeschool that some of the students there had seen a “red monster” in the area. When Pearl worriedly informed the other Gems about what she was told, Jasper was unimpressed, blankly stating that there’s no reason to be scared of one possible Gem, and even volunteering to corral the possible danger herself.

Not wanting to possibly endanger Jasper (despite knowing just how strong she is), Pearl quickly asked if she could join the soldier on the hunt, an idea Jasper saw as “Adorable”. When the two set off, there was a worrying jovial tone in Jasper’s voice (even with all of her growth and change, she was still a warrior at heart, so that was expected). 

Unfortunately (or fortunately, in Jasper’s mind), the hostile Gem seemed to be uncomfortably close, as Pearl almost instantly saw a giant red beam of energy coming from nearby, followed by a bellowing roar.

“Bah, that’s the “big bad Gem” your little whelps are worried about? It’s just an overgrown pebble.” Jasper spat, clenching her fist while preparing to make a heroic stand against whatever the source of that attack was. 

“Don’t be ridiculous, Jasper! We can’t let...whatever that is damage any of the nearby City!” Pearl readied her spear, taking a defensive stance in case something tries to ambush her.

“Yeah...leave that to me, Princess.” Following Pearl’s example, the lumbering soldier summoned her reformed “Crash” helmet, aiming the jagged edges towards the beam of light. Despite how much Pearl deeply loved Jasper, the soldiers constant bragging and obvious violent tendencies was slightly grating.

Pearl was shaken from her disdain by the sounds of rapid footfalls coming straight towards them, causing her to rapidly search her surroundings. Before she could register what was going on, she heard Jasper release an audible grunt. Turning to her taller partner, she saw Jasper, sharpened teeth bared, grappling with some reddish quadrupedal Gem creature. The beast was unsettling to look at, with horns and growths all over its (slightly larger than average) body. Unfazed by the challenge, Jasper grinned.

“That’s the ticket! I don’t know if you can even understand what I’m saying, but I’m honestly surprised you have the balls to come fight me, even if you’re horribly outmatched!” Pearl wasn’t exactly impressed by Jasper’s monologue. As expected, the corrupted Gem didn’t seem competent enough to fathom what was being said, so it kept trying to force its way past Jasper, to little effect.

The showdown seemed oddly even, with neither combatant giving an inch, seemingly unable to make any sort of opening on either side. Sensing an opportunity to turn the tables, Jasper turned her head towards Pearl

“Pearl! Quickly, Throw your spear at this Clod!”

Complying with the order, Pearl heaved her spear towards the center mass of the Gem. Jasper’s plan seemed to work (to an extent), as the attacker recoiled from the spear impacting its waist, allowing Jasper an opening to uppercut the creature aside. Unfortunately, the Spear (and punch) had little effect on the beast, as it quickly rose back to its feet. For a moment, Jasper was surprised, before grinning mischievously

“Pearl...I gotta devious idea that’ll flatten this spec, but you gotta trust me.” She sheepishly notes, backing away slowly from the rogue Gem.

“What could possibly stop this...monster?”

“Fusion. You’re quite powerful on your own, but together we can be UNSTOPPABLE!” Pearl harshly recoiled at the offer, still surprised how quickly Jasper is up for fusing after how the last attempts went so badly for her.

“After what you did with Lapis, are you out of your mind?! How can I be sure you won’t take over and try and shatter everyone else?”

“Heh, do you have any “better” alternatives, Princess?” 

Pearl grimaced, internally conflicted about the proposal. For thousands of years, Pearl and Jasper were sworn enemies, and a smaller side of Pearl still felt like she would be considered a traitor for fusing with a Diamond’s soldier. As Pearl was thinking over her options, Jasper was nonchalantly assaulting the creature, acting as hardheaded as always despite how ineffective her attacks seemed to be. Suddenly, Pearl must have slipped inside of her mind, as everything around her became dark.

She was alone, surrounded by unending blackness. Beneath her was some form of watery fluid, that seemed to reverberate with every step she took.

“Hello? Is anyone else here?! Jasper?....Steven?” Pearl called out into the abyss, seeking out anyone else in this odd, dimly lit realm.

“Pearl...it’s just me....” Shuffling from afar, still wearing her opulent dress, was Rose Quartz. The Ex-Diamond, who seemed almost transparent in appearance, had a slight frown on her face, stepping silently towards her former servant.

“M...My Diamond?”

“Of course...My Pearl.”

“Where am I? Am...was I shattered?” Rose laughed at the question, Pearl blushing at hearing her voice once more, even in this odd manner.

“Of course not. Your in...well...your own mind.”

“What?!” Pearl stepped back, tumbling over herself and falling backwards onto the seemingly endless liquid. Regaining her composure, Pearl noticed how she somehow wasn’t soaked by the large pool of water beneath her.

“It may seem odd at first. Honestly, you were thinking quite hard out there...and you must have panicked...now here you are.”

“Where’s Jasper...and the others?”

“Still fighting that corrupted Gem as we speak. From what I heard, you seem conflicted about things.” Despite all of her flaws, Rose was quite smart about other people’s feelings and emotions, something Pearl deeply appreciated

“I...Jasper wants to fuse with me...but...she was our enemy.”

“Time heals all wounds, Pearl, you know this. Jasper is no longer under the Diamond’s thumb...she has changed for the better.”

“Yes, My Diamond...but...there’s a part of me that feels...dirty for stooping to this level of violence...I’m only a servant after all.

“Pearl...you had this same kind problem with Amethyst. Despite how you truly cared for her, you simply refused to fuse until it was absolutely required. If you are truly concerned about not letting Jasper run wild like she did as Malachite, you honestly shouldn’t.”

“Why?”

“Lapis is no Pearl, that’s for certain. Let’s see...how did you used to put it...you’re strong in the RIGHT way, which is something a soldier couldn’t beat, despite all of her experience.”

As Pearl spoke, the blackness around the two seemed to clear, being replaced with blinding white. Pearl absolutely loved being complimented by Rose, but her words were true. Pearl, despite her background, had stood up to even the Diamonds themselves before. Pearl looked at her hands, clenching her fists triumphantly as Rose looked on, smiling.

“I’m sorry Pearl, but I must be going...your friend needs you.” As quickly as she appeared, Rose Quartz was gone, as Pearl snapped back into reality. As Rose guessed, Jasper was still struggling to overpower the rogue Gem like before, but it seemed like the Gem was getting ready for some kind of retaliatory attack. 

“Jasper! I...I agree, we need to fuse immediately!” Hearing her words, Jasper threw the Gem aside, before spinning around to face Pearl, a victorious grin on her face.

“That’s more like it, little Pearl...” 

“But...I’m in control of my own thoughts...I’m not letting you take control like you did to Lapis...”

“Whatever, I wasn’t going to tell you what to do anyways...so, how do you wanna take this whole charade?” Jasper cracked her knuckles, marching over towards the smaller, meeker Gem.

“That’s easy...take my hand, if you may.” Using her experience as a dancer, Pearl daintily raised her hand over to Jasper, who begrudgingly grasped it with her much more sizable hand. As she was pulling Jasper closer, Pearl carefully lowered herself into the massive soldier, her off-white gemstone glowing brightly. Once Jasper’s nose-gem resonated accordingly, the two were swallowed by a flash of white light, catching the attention of the other Gems inside the nearby house.

“What in the heck are those two doing out there, G?” Amethyst prodded, as she aggressively ate the donut she had saved from her last trip to the Big Donut

“Exactly what they need to do.” Was all Garnet decided to respond with, knowingly looking outside the windows.

“You think they’re in trouble?”

“If I’m being perfectly honest, not in the slightest.” The stoic Gem only smiled, hiding it well with her serious tone.

“Heh, I dunno about you, but I gotta see this!” Springing to her feet, Amethyst summoned her whip before sprinting out the door, leaving a slightly flabbergasted Garnet alone in the house.

—

Back outside, the odd transformation was underway. Blinded by the sudden burst of light, the berserk Gem recoiled in an instinctual attempt to avoid the source of the odd glow. As the light faded, neither Pearl or Jasper remained, replaced by an intimidatingly tall and undoubtedly muscular Gem, clad in a more militaristic version of Opal’s robe, complete with noticeable spikes on her shoulders, taken from Jasper’s weaponized helmet. The fusion slowly glanced at her arms, slightly surprised by how familiar the form felt, before looking back towards the confused enemy.

“Lemme see, how did Garnet put this...oh yeah...one on two.” Taking from the prideful nature of Jasper, it isn’t surprising that this fusion is quite boastful. Unaffected by the jab, the corrupted red Gem attempted to charge forward, putting all of its weight into its head in a ploy to stab its jagged horns through the fused Gem. Seeing her moment to end this before it drags on any further, the new “Opal” raised two of her hands towards the Gem on her forehead, projecting a spiked mace-like weapon to form (from the combination of Pearl’s spear and Jasper’s helmet) from their combined powers. Taking a sarcastic stance (not too different from a “baseball” pose), the gem roughly swung as soon as the threat was nearby. The swing was affective, smashing into the cheek-mounted Gem on the creature, smashing it quite aggressively. 

After the corrupted Gem realized how it was outdone, it released another bellowing roar, this one with a tone of fear instead of anger or rage. Unmoved by the plight, the fusion crossed her arms and scoffed.

“What’s the matter, couldn’t keep up?” The Opal snarked, uncaring about the possibility of the rogue Gem shattering. As expected, the Gem flopped onto the floor, before violently poofing, leaving only chipped fragments of a red gemstone in its place. Taking time to soak in her tactically quick thinking, the Opal smiled, deciding now was the time to defuse. 

Once she was finally separated, Pearl was uncharacteristically emotional about how well she and Jasper cooperated, leaping childishly into the massive, open arms of Jasper, who awkwardly blushed, moving her head away to not show emotional weakness.

“Jasper...oh Jasper, we...we did it! Oh...my stars...” Pearl whispered, seemingly breathless, taken aback by just how well they worked together despite their obvious differences.

“Heh, I wish I coulda taken credit for that...but it’s all you, Princess.”

Rushing from the house, Amethyst was heard wildly cheering for her friend. Hearing the voice of Amethyst, Jasper unceremoniously dropped Pearl onto her back, hiding the deep blush on her face.

“Holy moly, P, you kicked some serious freak show butt!” 

“Y-you saw all of that? Even the...”

“Duh, you two looked so cool all fused and stuff! Like, you two were a more...fiery version of Opal!” 

Underneath the incomprehensible compliments from Amethyst, Jasper began feeling a particular way, one that she felt she would never feel again...complete. Perhaps being a part of this (admittedly ragtag) group of Gems wasn’t so bad after all.


End file.
